Too Late
by WolfyMagician
Summary: What might've happened when Rod finally chooses to confess. I own nothing.


**Too Late**

"So, yes, I guess I could possibly try..."

Rod's voice drifted away dreamily, silence consuming the whole room. He gazed blankly at a spot on the dirty white wall in front of him. He was biting thoughtfully on the telephone cord, clearly distracted. On the other line, Christmas Eve listened eagerly for any sign of continuation from her client. When none came for a while, she continued to press the seriousness of the subject they had been so deeply consumed about before. "Rodney...you better tell him. Now."

Rod snapped out of his reverie, shocked, and completely taken off guard. That was not what he was hoping to do just yet. Yet. "A-are you sure?"

"Yes," replied the Japanese therapist, nodding seriously, "Nicky ready. You say he nicer, right? More talking? And wanting to spend time with you?"

"Yes, yes, ooh, yes," confirmed Rod brightly, blushing at the many thoughts going through his already-packed-with-information head. The memories of the last few weeks with his roommate. Rod's suspicions. The sudden change in Nicky that made him so much...nicer. He was different. It was clear.

And Rod loved it, despite his desire to keep his best friend the same. Well, at least personality-wise.

"So go for it!" Christmas Eve encouraged, clasping her hands together and accidentally dropping her phone. She vaguely wondered whether that was a professional advice for a therapist to give their patients. She picked up the phone, smiling.

"Yes," the blue man whispered trance-like, "yes, I will! I'm sure he feels the same for me! I mean, why else act so friendly right after I break up with my boyfriend? Or always offer to sleep on the same bed together? Oh, thank you Christmas Eve! I'll tell him now-"

"Go! Now!"

After saying hurried (and excited) goodbyes, Rod hung up the now beat-up phone and dashed to where he knew his best friend in the whole damn world was. The living room. 'Oh, Nicky,' Rod thought as he entered the room, 'I've been waiting to tell you so long...'

_I love you._

To his surprise, he heard Nicky breathe loudly: "I love you" then and there, right after Rod had thought it. He stood there, shell-shocked, but crimson red. Does that mean...? Could Nicky feel the same...? Is this really true...?

But then, there was another voice. An unfamiliar one that made the hairs on the back of Rod's neck stand up. And just about all hairs, really. "Oh, Nicky..." The voice was high-pitched and soft. So girly. Girly...

Unable to contain himself, Rod peeked over to the couch to where Nicky supposedly lay. He stared for half a second, and turned to another direction. To the front door.

Unnoticed by either person, Rod ran out the door and away form Nicky. The tears blurred his vision, yet he couldn't care less. Now all he saw was the same exact scene. Nicky, his best friend, roommate, and most importantly, his love. He had been so sure that love was returned... _Why?_

Nicky, wrapped in the arms of a purple-faced girl, his own arms covering her body. They looked as if their mouths were super-glued together. And it was hard to tell who own which pair of legs in that tangled mess.

It was dark outside and very, very late now. Shops and businesses were closed for the evening. People had already turned in for the night. There were hardly any lights on to see the road. But Rod kept on running. Crying. Sobbing. And all he could think about was how his heart had been, once more, torn apart. It was different. Rod was so used to seeing his friend with other people. Other women. Not him. Yet...

Yet why was this so _different_? And more painful?

Was it because Rod had been expecting it to be him? That his over-confidence distracted him from what was real? When he thought his feelings were returned... Was he really reading too much into Nicky's actions? After all, he could have been friendlier just because he was sorry for the break-up with Ricky... Why?

The streets were completely deserted. Rod could only hear himself, crying, in pain. And it hurt to believe that sound was him.

'But it's stupid! It's just him... Oh, why does it hurt like this? It's as if we were the ones that broke up...not me and Ricky...why...? I shouldn't be crying... Not just for this...'

'Was he playing with my feelings?'

He didn't stop, didn't slow down, or even really catch his breath. Rod kept on running and running, despite how his legs seemed to be on fire. His eyes were red from the crying, nose runny, and his mouth dry.

As he ran, the images of his best friend and that girl, became more graphic. And so real. He could now hear the noises they had made. What they had said.

_"Oh, I love you...so, so, much..."_

_"Nicky...you are wonderful..."_

And then there was moaning. Giggling. He even distinctly heard Nicky laugh at the small time he was listening. But it was a different laugh. Different.

Nicky _was_ different.

_"Oh, Nicky..."_

That same girly voice.

Nicky...

**"I HATE YOU!"**

* * *

**Author's Notes: Okay, weird. I dunno, I just remembered this feeling. The one where you think someone you like (or love) might feel the same for you, only to have that thrown back in your face when you find out there's someone else. Everyone probably has to go through this at least once before finding that special someone. So, yeah, Rod, this is your moment. Oh, and Rod was crying because he was _so _convinced. Yeah, sorry, all. I hated writing Nicky with a _girl._**


End file.
